Mums the Word During Homecoming

I think it's pretty obvious that Texas is not Indiana. There are little things I learn daily. For example, no one here has a basement. Back home almost everyone does. Here everyone has a fence around their property. Back home that's not uncommon, but it's not a "must have", either. I've also learned that down here everyone "up North" is a "Yankee". I'm called this almost daily. I learned that little speeches I'd normally give my class that back home we'd say were enough to "Put the fear of God in them." are called, "Come to Jesus!" meetings down here. (That one cracked me up when I heard it the first time!) Still, the most recent difference is the homecoming mum tradition. Have any of y'all ever heard of such a thing? I've posted several pictures I got off the internet, but I assure you I saw hundreds this past week. The guys give them to girls and the girls give the guys arm garters. The bigger and more elaborate the more loved one is. It's just nonsense! Expensive nonsense, at that. It's not uncommon for a mum to cost over a $100. They are big, noisy, and extremely distracting! Anyway, here are some pics...it's just so silly! (These are not from my school, but they are exactly like this, just different colors.)